Two New Troglobitic Asellids from West Virginia

Abstract

Two new species of troglobitic isopods, Asellus holsingeri from Organ Hedrick's Cave, Greenbrier Co., West Virginia, and Asellus cannulus from Cave Hollow Cave, Tucker Co., West Virginia, are described. At present these two species must be regarded as having no affinities with any of the previously described species of the genus, although they superficially resemble Asellus californicus. INTRODUCTION Prior to the discovery of these new isopods from the Allegheny Plateau in West Virginia only a few taxa had been proposed for the troglobitic asellids in the central Appalachian region. Asellus pricei Levi (1949:2) occurs from southern Pennsylvania through the central and western portion of Virginia and the extreme eastern portion of West Virginia. A. conestogensis Levi (1949:3) is probably a synonym of the former and is known only from the type locality, Under a stone in Hammer Creek, about two miles from Buffalo Springs, Lebanon Co., Pennsylvania. Of the two remaining species, A. recurvatus Steeves (1963) and A. stygius Packard (1871: 752), the latter occupies the more extensive range, occurring from southern Indiana and Illinois through Kentucky to north central Tennessee. A. recurvatus is confined to extreme southwestern Virginia. The two new species described below appear, at best, to be only distantly related to other species in the area. They may be distinguished from them by the single spiculiform terminal projection of the endopodite of the male seconid pleopod. Asellus holsingeri' sp. nov. (Figs. 1-5) Diagnosis.-Albinistic, without eyes. Maximum body length 8 mm. Palm of propodus of male gnathopod (Fig. 1) without processes, but with a single heavy spine near base; opposable margin of dactyl without processes but armed with heavy spines; carpus with four prominent setae on distal postaxial border. First pleopod (Fig. 2) with four coupling hooks; distal podomere about 2.5 times as long as proximal one, lateral margin with setae confined to distal four-fifths, and distal margin with setae across entire width. Second pleopod (Fig. 3) with mesiodistal margin of basal segment bearing two long setae; basaL portion of endopodite with prominent rounded apophyses; tip of endopodite (Fig. 4) terminating in a single process, the endopodial groove being extended in the form of a long slender cannula directed 1 It is a pleasure to namce this species in honor of Mr. John R. Holsinger, its collector, and an avid speleologist.